What is the common hemodynamic consequence of mitral stenosis?

Mitral stenosis is characterized by the narrowing of the mitral valve, which impedes blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle during diastole. This impediment can lead to a backlog of blood in the left atrium and subsequently in the pulmonary veins. As the left atrium struggles to push blood through the narrowed valve, pressures in the left atrium rise, leading to increased pressure in the pulmonary venous system. Consequently, this elevated pressure can result in pulmonary congestion and symptoms like shortness of breath, particularly during exertion.

The other options do not accurately reflect the hemodynamic changes associated with mitral stenosis. For instance, decreased left atrial pressure would contradict the effects of mitral stenosis, which causes an increase in pressure due to the obstruction. Increased cardiac output does not occur since the stenosis limits the amount of blood that can flow into the left ventricle during diastole, thereby reducing overall cardiac output, especially during physical activity. While right ventricular hypertrophy can eventually occur due to the increased pressure in the pulmonary circulation over time, it is not a direct or immediate consequence of mitral stenosis itself, but rather a potential later development. Thus, increased pulmonary venous